


then again, ends mean new beginnings

by emptypens



Series: Even Heaven has Its Ends ; NCT MarkHyuck [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Idols, M/M, Post-Idol, sequel of even heaven has its ends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 04:06:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 5,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18461135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emptypens/pseuds/emptypens
Summary: in life, there will always be a happy moment. it could last for one second, two minutes, a few days, and so on. nevertheless, there will always be one.donghyuck finds his happiest one after five years.sequel to even heaven has its ends ; nct markhyuck





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> there is a version of this on [wattpad](https://www.wattpad.com/user/emptypens).

sequel of _even heaven has its ends ; nct markhyuck_

"Hey, Jisung. It's Donghyuck hyung. I'm on the train on the way back to Seoul. I'll be dropping my stuff back at my apartment and I'll be free for the rest of the day. How about you? How are you? If you're free, I'll come by so we could hang out. Ask Jeno and Jaemin if they could come with us. Thanks. See you soon. Happy holidays."

_Click._

Donghyuck looked up from his phone screen to the train window. He watched as the train left the station, speed starting slow and gradually increasing.

He had spent his short holiday vacation with his family back in Jeju Island, which he adored every moment of. Now, he was on the train back to Seoul to go back to work as an idol.

Of course, rather than being sad for his departure from home, he was rather excited to see his second family—his co-members—again, despite being with them during a celebration before their separation.

Donghyuck smiled softly to himself. Another year, another set of memories to look back to. A lot of ups and downs occured, but that's just how life goes, is it not?

He looked back to his phone, unlocking it and directing himself to his photo gallery. He spent minutes—almost an entire hour, in fact—scrolling through his photos and trying to recall the stories behind each one. It was funny to him—time was progressing yet he felt like he was going back in time.

After while of scrolling and snickering to himself, Donghyuck came to a realization that he had reached the pictures of him with his co-members from approximately five years ago—selfies and stolen pictures during pre-comeback, pre-performance, and post-performance times, each one making his heart swell with warmth.

On the moment he switched to another photo to look at, however, he felt his heart stop and drop onto the railings, crushed repeatedly by the wheels of the train.

It was a picture of Donghyuck closely positioned and smiling with... _him._

Donghyuck swiped and switched photos again—

and again—

and again—

and again—

—but the deeper he got into his photo gallery, the more photos of him showed up, and the more memories of him surfaced.

All of a sudden, all he could see was him.

A lump formed in Donghyuck's throat. An abundance of emotions washed over him in waves—emotions that were felt long ago but still felt way too familiar to be forgotten, much similar to a healing wound scratched back open by accident.

Donghyuck locked his phone and heaved a heavy sigh as he looked back to the train window, watching everything pass by swiftly like a chilly December breeze.

It's been five years, huh?

It felt like it was just yesterday when he turned away from him.

_Promise me that you'll listen to me._

He smiled sadly, wondering how he would react if he ever finds out that he rebelled against him again.

To his defense, he tried.

He really did.


	2. Chapter 2

_"Why? Why are you saying sorry? This isn't even your fault."_

_"I'm saying sorry because I hurt you, and I still am hurting you."_

_"It's good to know that you know that, you absolute piece of shit."_

_"Why wouldn't I know that? Since I found out about what my parents were planning to do, did you think that I would wake up with a smile on my face, even when I knew that you were going to cry? Did you think that I would sleep with sweet dreams, even when I knew that you wouldn't even blink an eye? Did you think that I would be happy, knowing that I made the sun of my life sad? I can't do any of that, Hyuck. I love you too much to hurt you, because it would feel worse than hurting myself."_

_"You're making it so much harder for me to let you go."_

_Donghyuck's ears were filled by soft and sad laughter coming from_ _his mouth._

_"I know."_

Donghyuck woke up at the feeling of something dropping softly on his lap. Prying his eyes open, he looked down to his lap and sees something small, round, and bright orange--a rubber basketball.

He frowned.

_Besides, I had to come and visit this place again, for old times' sake._

"Excuse me."

Donghyuck looked to the side to see a teenager--assumedly at the age of 18--who was staring at the ball, sending Hyuck the hint that it was his.

"I'm sorry," the boy mumbled, nervous as he was visibly fidgeting with the hem of his shirt as he talked to Hyuck. "May I have my ball back?"

Donghyuck looked at the boy, then smiled softly at him, handing his ball over to him. "Of course. Here you go."

After taking the ball back, the boy immediately bowed and hurriedly thanked him before turning around to return to wherever he was seated.

As he left, Donghyuck heard the voice of another boy.

"You idiot," the second boy told the first boy.

"Sorry, hyung," the first boy responded.

Donghyuck's smile started to falter at the sound of the two boys' laughter. It wasn't because of the boys. It was because of how the boys seemed to remind him of them together.

He heaved another sigh, feeling his heart become heavy. He leaned his head against the train window and closed his eyes again.

He expected to see little to no light. He expected to plunge back into sleep in silence and peace.

Instead, he started seeing him and every little thing about him--the way he rolls his eyes whenever someone, usually Donghyuck, makes a really stupid remark, or the way he smiles and tries to hide it to look like he didn't see it as amusing.

...then he didn't just  _see_  him.

He started hearing his snarky comebacks, his loud laughter and his continuous clapping that came with it.

He started smelling the scent on his clothes that he always caught every time they hugged or sat next to each other—light scents of cotton and bamboo from his roommates' scented candles.

He started remembering how it felt like to hold his hand and to hug him—warm and sweet, like hot chocolate at home in a chilly December morning, which was something he wished he had at the moment.

Donghyuck bit his lip, closing his eyes shut and shoving all of his thoughts aside to sleep.

It took him half an hour to fall back asleep.

He had to endure the pain of the hole on his heart the entire time he was awake and trying—the hole that was left by _him_ , the hole that was never filled up by anything or anyone else. 


	3. Chapter 3

"We are now approaching our last stop. Please get off the train safely."

Stirring from a sleep he didn't remember slipping into, Donghyuck opened his eyes and saw the sight of the train slowing down to a stop and its passengers getting ready to get out of it.

Yawning, he slung his bag on his shoulder stood up from his seat his bag over his shoulder.

While he waited for the stream of people to simmer down, he felt his phone vibrate inside his pocket against his thigh. He took it out, thinking that Jisung replied to his voice message.

 ** _2 messages from Unknown Number._**  
**_Read?_**  
Yes | No

 **Unknown Number**  
\- Hello.  
\- Is this Lee Donghyuck's number?

Donghyuck scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. This is strange. 

Yes, it is. -  
Excuse me for asking, but who is this? -  
I don't recall sending my phone number to someone new. -

 **Unknown Number**  
\- I'm... not new.   
\- I'm an old... friend, if you will.

Is that so? Who is this, then? -

 **Unknown Number**  
\- Ah...  
\- You truly took the promise seriously.

Donghyuck nearly dropped his phone and his heart along with it.

...Mark hyung? -


	4. Chapter 4

**Unknown Number**  
\- Haha! It seems that I stand corrected.  
\- Hey, Hyuckie.   
\- How have you been?

Donghyuck stared at his phone screen, confused. Should he go answer his question?  _"Hey, Mark hyung! I was doing pretty well until I remembered you and now I feel like a sack of shit. How about you?"_ Just like that?

Questions kept popping up in the back of his brain every time he took a step to get out of the train and they kept popping up until he started feeling fuzzy.

Before he could fall into a mental breakdown in front of the train door, his phone buzzed in his hand once again.

 **Unknown Number**  
\- Wait.  
\- Are you by any chance...  
\- in the train station?  
\- I think I can see you.

Donghyuck stopped in his tracks and looked up, immediately trying to spot wherever the stranger texting him was.

He didn't want to believe that he was Mark just yet. What if this person was messing with him? He didn't want to fall for it. No, not again.

He wanted to see for himself whether it really was him.

However, his heart was already hoping it was him.

The station was flooding with people coming from different places, making it difficult for Donghyuck to scan the area. His loud, distracting heartbeat and his blurry, before-a-breakdown vision was not helping him at all.

Besides, it's been five fucking years. Who knows what he looks like after all that time? He could be hiding under a beard or layers of plastic surgery for all he knows.

Finding him was no easy task when there are several doubts severing his vision of him.

Fortunately, one cannot easily change their eyes, and the heart never forgets a pair of eyes when it's fallen for it.

Donghyuck stopped. The stranger he was looking at did, too.

Hold on.

He wasn't any other stranger.

It was him.

It was Mark fucking Lee.

"Donghyuck!" Mark called out, excitedly waving at Donghyuck from afar. His voice almost drowned in the noise of their atmosphere, but Donghyuck's ears caught it before it completely disappeared.

Donghyuck merely stared at Mark, not sure how to react.

This...

This is another dream.

This has to be another dream.

...but if it was another dream...

Donghyuck wants to make sure that he never wakes up from this one.


	5. Chapter 5

Barely aware of his own body's actions, Donghyuck started to walk towards Mark, his pace picking up with each step. His heart started beating even louder than before. His mind started racing faster than he was walking.

That was, until a thought appeared—

_What if he isn't the same as he was before?_

Donghyuck's steps suddenly slowed down. His heartbeat did, too.

_What if he is seeing someone else now?_

He was still walking, but he felt like the floor was swallowing him, starting with his feet.

_What if..._

_What if..._

_What if he isn't in love with me anymore?_

_What if he wasn't in love with me in the first place?_

Soon enough, Donghyuck decided to settle with walking, but he stopped, because he was already in front of Mark, anyway.

He looked at Mark, who looked back at him and smiled.

He found himself smiling back.

_That's..._

_That's okay._

_At least he's right here in front of me right now._

_That's all I ever asked for the last five years._

"Hey, Hyuck," Mark greeted. His voice was slightly deeper than the last time Donghyuck heard him talk, but nevertheless, it still didn't fail to make Donghyuck's heart skip seven beats all at once.

"Hey, Hyung," Donghyuck greeted back.

With that, Donghyuck waited, the sudden feeling of dread spreading in his chest.

His dreams of him usually ended right there, where they exchange greetings, spoken or unspoken.

...but it didn't.

Time went on. The people around them kept moving. Donghyuck was still there, and so was Mark.

He smiled a little wider, relief overcoming him.

It wasn't a dream after all.

"You didn't even take a look at my texts," Mark said, his lips becoming a pout.

Donghyuck rolled his eyes, grinning. "What's the point? You're here already."

Mark laughed. "Oh, right. Okay, a point was made."

Donghyuck just snickered. "You're still as dumb as ever."

"And you're still as ill-witted as before." Mark raised an eyebrow at him and crossed his arms. "Not much changed despite five years passing by, huh?"

"That's what you think. Care for coffee drinking and catching up?"

Mark smiled, and Donghyuck could have sworn the sun shone brighter and everything became way more beautiful than before.

"Of course. Your treat, though."

"Oh, my God. Whatever."


	6. Chapter 6

Once they reached a nearby coffee shop, Donghyuck reached his hand out to push the door open, only to have it pushed aside by Mark. He scowled at him playfully, which was returned by a grin and a gentlemanly gesture of opening the door for the other.

"My lady," Mark said with a smile as he gestured Donghyuck to step in.

Donghyuck rolled his eyes at him, but the way he said  _my_ struck a chord on his heartstrings, causing them to make a tiny squeak of a melody.

 _I'm overthinking this_ , he thought to himself, then shook it off.

"I'll order," Donghyuck told Mark as he stepped in.

"You sure?" Mark responded, watching the glass door close by itself.

"Yeah. Go look for a table while I'm at it."

"If you say so. Do you still remember what to order for me?"

Donghyuck looked at Mark, supposedly in a 'Are you serious?' way, but when he saw the soft glint of sadness in the latter's eyes, it softened and melted into nothing.

It's been a few minutes only yet Donghyuck had nearly forgotten that they were separated for so... so long.

Instead, he shone a reassuring smile at him. "Of course. Now go get that table."

Later on, Donghyuck approached Mark, a tray in his hands. He laid it down and distributed the order. He sat down, cautiously watching Mark as he picked up his cup and opened the lid. A strange feeling of anxiety dwelt in his chest, as if he was afraid that he actually did get it wrong.

It really has been so long yet Donghyuck is afraid to forget even the tiniest things, despite how he was told to exactly that.

All of these worries were washed away the moment Mark looked at Donghyuck with a wide smile and said, "Americano. You really still remember, don't you?"

"Don't forget your glazed doughnut." Donghyuck laughed. "You used to always have both, never one of them only."

"I still do."

For some reason, Donghyuck felt more than relieved to hear just those three words.

Not much has changed from the man he fell in love with.

The two started to dig in. Neglected tension rose between them—Both of them wanted to say something, but they weren't sure what it was nor what was stopping them.

Gladly, Mark broke the ice, like he used to always do.

"So how have you been?"


	7. Chapter 7

It had been almost an hour and a half. Mark's half-finished coffee ran cold, and so did Donghyuck's; however, while they talked, Mark really left his coffee ignored, while Donghyuck kept staring at his and stirring it. He couldn't help but notice how it had a similar shade as Mark's eyes.

At some point, he softly smiled to himself as the thought popped up. He then looked back up at Mark after, staring deep into his dark brown irises as he listened to him talk about what he had been up to these years.

Truth be told, he heard his voice while talked, but he wasn't actually listening. He never did, because he always found himself so lost in the warmth of his coffee-shaded eyes and comforting voice.

"I miss them, honestly," Mark said with a sigh and a sad smile as he looked down to his coffee, scrunching his nose as he realized that it was cold.

Donghyuck was reeled back to reality the moment Mark broke eye contact, suddenly feeling humiliation crawl up his cheeks. He cleared his throat then said, "They miss you, too."

"Yeah?" Mark raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. There were times where we would suddenly be silent, then someone would break the silence by saying 'I miss Mark'. After that, everyone would talk about you like..." He swallowed a lump in his throat and tried to laugh. "...like you died or something."

Mark chuckled. "Oh? Cute."

Donghyuck simply hummed in response.

"Did you?"

Donghyuck raised an eyebrow at Mark, confused. "Did I what?"

"Miss me," Mark said, barely audible as if he didn't want Donghyuck to hear it. "Did you miss me?"

Donghyuck fell silent.

How was he supposed to tell him that he had nights where he would suddenly cry because of how cold it felt without him around? How was he supposed to admit that his world felt silent and empty after his voice disappeared from his daily life? How was he supposed to admit that he, in fact, did miss him to a point of physical pain?

He scoffed. "Stupid question. Next."

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

Mark laughed. Donghyuck stared at him while he did; the way his eyes crinkled every time he smiles or grins, and the way his laugh always echoed back and forth into his ears like a song he would never want to forget—every detail, every feeling was all too familiar, even when he hadn't seen or felt them for five years. Seeing or feeling them were an addiction, and he was getting back into it after years of withdrawals.

"Well, if you insist," Mark said. He fell into thoughtful silence for a while, as if he was actually thinking about another question to ask. He looked at Donghyuck, that sad glimmer in his eyes surfacing once again.

"Did you... actually try to fulfill the promise I made you do?"

Donghyuck felt his heart stop. His blood ran cold. Everything fell into a void of silence.

He expected this. He expected that he would bring this up, but why was hurt surfacing on his heart like a fresh wound he had earned only a minute ago?

"That's another stupid question," Donghyuck muttered, averting his eyes. He almost choked on his own words.

"You have to answer at least one of them, Hyuck. Two questions answered is better, but I'm only asking for one."

He weighed in his choices, then heaved a sigh. Lowering his pride, he breathed out a mumble, "Yeah, I missed you."

_I missed you a lot. You have no idea._

Donghyuck looked back up at Mark, who was smiling. Yes, he was smiling, but...he seemed unsatisfied, like he was wishing that Donghyuck would answer the second question instead.

Donghyuck bit the inside of his cheeks.

Might as well give him what he wants.

"And no," Donghyuck said, voice slightly shaky from nervousness and embarrassment. "I didn't. Well, actually, I tried. I...uh, really did."

He checked Mark's expression again, watching it change to satisfaction and endearment.

Mark chuckled again, putting down his finally empty cup.

"Don't worry about breaking it," He said with a smile. "I broke it right after you left."

Surprised, Donghyuck looked at Mark with wide eyes.

Was he saying that he...didn't turn away after Donghyuck left him in the court as he was told to do so?

Leaving someone was painful enough...but watching someone leave you was another level.

Donghyuck felt his heart wrenching at the thought.

"Hey," Mark called, snapping Donghyuck out of his thoughts again. Donghyuck looked at him and watched him stare at the sky through the glass walls of the coffee shop. "It's getting late. I think we should go on ahead."

"Oh, right." Donghyuck nodded in agreement. "Where will you be staying, though?"

"For now, I'll be staying at a hotel," Mark answered as he stood up from his chair. "I still need to look for an apartment to stay in."

"Wait, an apartment?" Donghyuck repeated, shocked. "You...You're staying? Here? In Korea?"

Mark shone a smile at Donghyuck. "Yeah, for good."

Absentmindedly, Donghyuck's lips curved into the widest smile. Mark chuckled at him.

"Come on, idiot. I'll walk you home."


	8. Chapter 8

The two men were minding their own businesses as they made their way through the streets of Seoul to Donghyuck's apartment. They were silently admiring the sky as the sun was setting—shades of orange and yellow and dots of purple and pink painting the heavens like a canvas never to be perfectly mimicked by anyone.

The silence between them wasn't heavy at all. In fact, it was rather comforting. Donghyuck missed walking around with him like this.

Not totally, of course. There was still this tension hanging in the air, and it remained unexplainable. No, not unexplainable—They could definitely explain it, but they decided to leave it aside, thinking it was a unrequited thought.

There was a missing link between them, they both knew it, but they didn't know what it was or how to fix it.

Mark figured that maybe a step to fixing it was holding Hyuck's hand.

At first, it was shy and subtle. Hesitation was etched on Mark's face. He kept stealing glances of his hand—the hand that he used to hold in his own five years ago without thinking twice. It used to be always so warm and he always went to it whenever he feels cold, as if it was his personal heater.

Donghyuck was a literal ball of sunshine—or maybe the sun itself—and Mark basically lived off his light.

Of course, that was before. Donghyuck still shone as bright as ever, but Mark didn't think he deserved having any of his light. He had hurt him, after all.

It was just quite frustrating to see how Donghyuck didn't seem like it.

He bit his lip.

_Could it be that he... already moved on?_

_Lucky him_.

As Mark was drowning in his sea of thoughts, Donghyuck noticed how Mark's hand seemed to be closer than usual to his own.

He smiled for a bit. His heart raced a little faster.

Was he trying to hold his hand? That's cute.

Suddenly, a feeling of doubt replaced the warmth in his heart. A voice nagged in the back of his head, saying  _You're overthinking this._

As he looked at his hand once again, he noticed a small difference of color on one of his fingers. Scrunching his eyebrows in confusion and concern, Donghyuck took Mark's hand in his without thinking twice (or thinking at all), then looked closer.

A tiny light purple bruise was placed on the older's ring finger, looking like an actual ring.

"What's this?" He asked immediately, looking at Mark as if he was demanding for an answer as soon as possible.

Mark looked back at him, stunned. It took him a second to realize the situation. He smiled at him. "It's just a tiny bruise. You don't have to worry too much about it."

"I didn't say I was worried," Donghyuck mumbled, trying to cover the fact he actually was. "You didn't answer my question."

"It's just from a ring. Chill."

"But you don't wear any rings. Not always, at least."

Mark's gaze softened. His aura turned cold as he averted his eyes from the younger.

Donghyuck looked at Mark like he was trying to find the answer written on his face. Suddenly, his heart went blank after a realization.

No. It can't be.

Did it come from—

"An engagement ring?" Donghyuck blurted out, immediately wishing he didn't open his mouth.

"Mark hyung, you're—" His voice cracked, but he kept talking. He had to know. "You're engaged?"

Mark remained silent. The longer the silence stretched, the faster fresh pain spread across Donghyuck's chest. He should have known. No, he already knew, but he was foolish to not listen to his instincts.

Donghyuck let their hands fall back down to their sides. He wanted to let go of his hand, but he couldn't make himself do it.

The moment he was able to hold him back...was technically gone, because he was no longer truly there in the first place.

He was about to let go of Mark's hand reluctantly, but he felt the other's hand tighten his hold.

Mark looked at Donghyuck, an unreadable expression of mixed emotions on his face.

"Was."

Donghyuck stared at Mark, not sure what to say or feel.

He was engaged. Was.

He felt...rather relieved for a reason he could explain but would rather stay silent about. At the same time, he felt bad, because he was secretly happy for something that Mark was probably sorrowful about.

"Ah," was all Donghyuck said in reaction, letting go of his hand. "I'm...um, sorry."

Mark looked down at Donghyuck's hand like he was a bit offended by the gesture—Donghyuck noticed, or maybe he was just seeing things.

The older shook his head, straight-faced. "It's fine. It's not like you knew anyway."

Silence built up between the two of them. This time, it was actually suffocating.

"Uh," Donghyuck stammered, biting his lip. "Wh...What happened? Who were they?"

Mark kept looking ahead as he walked with Donghyuck, face as solemn as it could be, like he was trying to shield himself from showing any emotion.

"Someone who deserved someone else," he said briefly. "It didn't feel like my heart was in Canada."

Donghyuck nodded, though he didn't understand. He just didn't want to press the topic further.

He didn't feel relieved anymore, more of just feeling bad for his hyung. He wanted to stop walking and just pull him into a tight hug, hoping to at least help him put the pieces of his heart back together.

The question is was Mark's heart broken by his engagement break off in the first place? Or was it broken way before then?


	9. Chapter 9

  
  
  
The walk to his apartment felt longer than usual.

Donghyuck noticed this because it felt as if his feet were sore from walking. Was it because he was on vacation for a few weeks and he hadn't walked this far for some time? No, it was a different kind of sore—like the world was weighing down on him and his feet were drilling into the cement because of how heavy it was.

After the short and cold conversation about Mark's ex-engagement, silence filled the gaps between them, which ironically made the situation feel emptier than usual.

He stole a glance of Mark. The atmosphere was dimming, so he couldn't see a clear look of the other man, but he didn't seem so bothered by anything.

Or maybe he was, and Donghyuck just couldn't see it because of how he was focused on staring at his features. He was so pale that he still shone like a pearl under the night, unlike Donghyuck who could blend in the dark slightly easier. His doe eyes reflected the orange street lights and the silver moonlight. Chilled air escaped his pouting lips, swirling and disappearing after a second.

Mark still looked as charming as before. Donghyuck was still as in love with him as before.

Upon observing him, Donghyuck noticed that Mark's lips were moving as if he was rapping. It took him to realize that he, in fact, was.

Donghyuck's lips curved into a smile. Mark was rapping to one of their old songs, and it warmed his heart to know that he still remembers the lyrics to it.

"I saw an angel," Donghyuck started to sing under his breath after Mark finished his rap, catching the older by surprise. His voice was deeper than it was when they first sang it, but it was still as beautiful as it was before, if not more.

Donghyuck looked at Mark as he sang, smiling sheepishly as he does so. Mark smiled back, and suddenly started swaying a little to the sides, snapping his fingers to beat.

After he finishes the first chorus, Donghyuck kept his eyes on Mark, seeing if he will start rapping his own lines. Mark did, though he stuttered at the start like he was trying to remember his lines. It made Donghyuck laugh, but he mocked his swaying dance to encourage him to continue rapping.

The way Mark rapped seemed as if the man didn't take a break from it for five years; it was so natural, like all of the words flowed through his tongue smoothly. That's one of the things Donghyuck used to love about him the most: his rapping skills and his talking skills and...well, his voice in general.

It was the voice that always took him to a peaceful sleep.

Unfortunately, it was also the voice that he would hear in his nightmare—his nightmare which consisted of replays of the last time they saw each other.

Donghyuck didn't want to think about that then, though. The moment was amazing and he wasn't going to let his emotions take it away.

After Mark rapped, Donghyuck sang the next lines and Mark tried harmonizing with him as a joke.

As they sang, Donghyuck made sure that he was looking at Mark while he sang "I'll be your morning star, and you are my angel" to let him know somehow that he thinks of him every time he hears the song.

His heart fluttered when the other didn't look away.


	10. Chapter 10

"Your voice is still as good as before. Better, in fact."

"I'm not called Beyoncé's son for nothing, Hyung."

Mark laughed out loud at Donghyuck's comment, earning Donghyuck a triumphant smirk.

"You're still cocky as ever," Mark pointed out.

"I prefer confident," Donghyuck hummed, grinning. "Your rapping is as good as it was, too. It's like you never stopped."

"Well, I didn't," Mark answered. "I still wrote and rapped while studying. It was my way of venting, after all."

Donghyuck raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that so? Will I be able to hear your new songs, lyric genius Mark Lee?"

Mark laughed. "I don't know. Maybe someday, when I'm confident enough to show you them."

"What makes you not so confident about them? Your songs are amazing."

"Maybe confident isn't the right term. Rather...when I'm ready enough to show you them, because as I have said," Mark said, mumbling and looking away as if he was humiliated. "It was my way of venting."

Donghyuck hummed, looking at Mark with utter curiosity, but then let the subject slide.

He was about to take another step forward when a sign caught his eye. He stopped and looked up to see that they had finally reached their destination—Donghyuck's apartment building.

Donghyuck felt fatigue shake his body and seep into his bones. He smiled to himself, then turned to Mark, who looked at him with a silent yet sad expression.

For a moment, he wanted to ask what was up, but he finally caught his drift.

They were about to be separated again.

Truthfully, it wouldn't be as bad as before.

Mark said he was staying in Korea for good.

But where in Korea will he stay?

They could share numbers and text or call.

But that's not the same as talking to him face to face.

They could meet up from time to time.

But would I have time for that in the first place?

"It's getting late," Mark said, breaking Donghyuck out of his train of thought. He walked nearer to him until they were only half a step apart. "You should go and get some rest."

"Do I really have to leave?"

An arrow of pain shot through both boys' hearts.

Donghyuck didn't mean to ask it so recklessly, especially when he asked Mark a similar question before they were separated.

Mark merely smiled a little, not answering. Donghyuck, in contrast, frowned.

"Will I see you again?" Donghyuck asked, wanting an answer. Mark stayed silent, which was hurting Donghyuck more.

Instead of answering, Mark...leaned in.

Donghyuck noticed it late. He didn't get to react. He froze in place, eyes wide, but involuntarily closed when he felt the older's hand on his chin, his lips on his own.

At that moment, it felt like time froze.

No, it felt like time rewinded itself.

They felt like it was 5 years ago again, where they desperately wanted to stop time to stay there for eternity. They may not be moving, but they were with each other, and that was the only thing that mattered.

When Donghyuck pulled away, he looked down on their feet. He wasn't sure what to do. All he could think about is how loud his heart was beating. Plus, he wasn't used to looking up at Mark. He was taught to look away and forget about him, after all.

"Go," Mark whispered to him as he let his hand fall from his chin.

Donghyuck, being the fool he is, obeyed.

He turned around and forced his foot forward, walking towards the door of the apartment building. Every step felt heavier than the last, because his broken heart was weighing him down, one kilogram after another.

As he walked, he felt as if something was burning through his back. It was tolerable at first, but it started to bug him the farther he walked.

What would Donghyuck from five years ago say about this?

_Stop walking. Turn around. Go back to him. Don't let him get away ever again._

That's exactly what he did.

He stopped walking.

He turned around and looked at Mark, who was looking back at him with a wistful expression. (His heart wrenched at the sight. Was that how he looked at him when he ran away?)

He pushed his feet forward, picking up his pace.

At that moment in time, Mark was watching him with utter surprise, as if what he was witnessing was not part of some script that was written for the movie they call life.

Donghyuck ran towards Mark and engulfed him in a hug, immediately connecting his lips with the other's and kissing him with as much passion as he wanted to give Mark.

He let him go and lost him for five years.

He's not letting him go again.

Donghyuck pulled away, laying his forehead against Mark's. He mustered up all of his courage and looked at him in his eyes—the eyes he always had dreams and nightmares about.

"Stay," Donghyuck whispered to him, trying not to sound as if he was pleading (even when he was willing to plead). "Stay with me, even just for the night."

Unspoken words slipped out of him through his eyes.

_Stay for tonight, and the next night, and the next nights after that, until the last night there will ever be._

What he expected was to be turned down.

What he got was a smile and a non-hesitant "Okay."

For the first time in so long, the sun shone at its brightest, even when it was setting.

 

**Author's Note:**

> hello! sky here. 
> 
> thank you for taking the time to read this! 
> 
> check out my other stories on [archive of our own](https://archiveofourown.org/users/astaeria) and [wattpad](https://www.wattpad.com/user/emptypens).
> 
> follow me on my [twitter account](https://twitter.com/snowdinsunsets) and my [other social medias](https://skysite.carrd.co/).
> 
> have a decent day!


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